


Every Rose Has It's Thorns

by SJones0404



Category: Original Work
Genre: Boarding School, Chauvinism, Control Issues, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Flirting, Gaslighting, Grooming, Manipulation, Possessive Behavior, Teen Romance, Underage Kissing, Unhealthy Relationships, Wealth, light fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:28:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25935169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SJones0404/pseuds/SJones0404
Summary: Poor Kathryn Rockmore can't help but see the good in people. Even when the thorn has pricked her and is staring back with a smug grin. Damien Glass has no problem taking advantage of his rose...no problem at all.Enjoy this story of a sweet girl's downward spiral into a relationship she should've run from and a guy's dark desire to possess her.
Relationships: Kathryn Rockmore/Damien Glass, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 29
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sage_queen98](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sage_queen98/gifts).



> Yes, this is a new story from me. No, I have not abandoned my other fic. Absolutely, writer's block is a bitch!

The sound of the shrill school bell reverberated through the halls, signaling the first lunch break of the school year. Students poured from their classrooms, eager to ditch their books and head to the dining hall to catch up with friends and fill their stomachs. It was the first day of school at the elite Albany Academy, the most prestigious private boarding school in upstate New York and home to the offspring of the rich, famous, and well-to-do. If you can't already tell by the name, it's chock-full of snobby, bratty, teenagers with nothing better to do but drive fancy cars and spend exorbitant amounts of money on things they probably don't even need. I mean, what can you expect from kids that grew up charging everything to daddy's AmEx Black? Nonetheless, this story isn't really about them, not particularly. This story is about a girl who is as far from the stereotypical, rich girl as you can get. This story is about Kathryn Rockmore, or Kat for short.

Kat wasn't always well off. She could still remember the sparse Christmases and birthdays early on in her life. She may never forget the guilty look in her parent's eyes when they couldn't gift Kat all her little heart desired. Kat, being the sweet girl she's always been, never blamed them for the little they could provide. Perhaps she was always wise beyond her years, but she understood that her parents had to spend their hard earned money on other, more important things (like food and rent, for instance). Maybe the universe saw her plight and decided she didn't deserve the empoverished lifestyle because not long after her 7th birthday, her father secured a major contract for his advertisement company and his success took off. The Rockmores went from living in run-down apartments to building an estate fit for a king in little over a year and they never looked back.

For Kat, nothing changed. I mean, of course she had the latest iPhone before it was released to the public, designer clothes, and access to far too many cars, but those things didn't change her humble heart. In fact, all of those materlistic things only served to remind her where she came from and made her appreciate her life that much more.

Kat smiled to herself as she carried her textbooks to her locker. She had thoroughly enjoyed her summer vacation (her family had spent time in Greece this year) and was looking forward to her junior year at Albany. Just one more year of high school and she would be on her way to FIT to pursue her dreams of creating her own clothing line. She had great aspirations of being the next great Diane Von Furstenberg (a girl's gotta dream big, you know). She had always had an eye for fashion, even as a little girl. Although the academy required uniforms, she consistently found a way to spruce up her drab pleated skirt and sweater vest with unique jewelry and accessories. Perhaps, if she didn't have her head in the clouds at that current moment she might've noticed the muscular figure in her path before forcefully colliding with it. Before she knew it her books had clattered to the floor and a pair of strong hands grabbed her just as she was falling to the ground to join them.

"Woah there!", said a deep baritone. "You may not wanna walk and daydream at the same time, Kat".

She knew that voice. She would recognize it anywhere and she was mortified. Kat dared look up into warm brown eyes and chiseled features to confirm that she had unceremoniously crashed into her crush, Damien Glass.

While Kathryn was a sweet, humble girl, Damien was the opposite. Actually, he was as close to the stereotypical rich, jock as you could get. He was tall, good looking, fit, athletic, and by far one of the wealthiest kids in school (and probably the east coast). He could charm the pants off anyone, which he'd probably done to half the girls in the building, and had no shortage of confidence. His mother is a retired model from France and his father comes from a long line of oil men, which is how he'd amassed his current wealth. See what I meant by stereotypical?

What, pray tell, does a girl like Kat (doe eyed and naive as she is) want with a guy that clearly has no intentions of seriously pursuing her? The same thing that every other teenage girl does: he's gorgeous, rich, and knows exactly what to say to get what he wants. Kat has no defense against his charming ways and she certainly can't help the butterflies that flutter in her stomach every time she sees him.

Kat can feel her face grow warm as Damien helps her stand on her own two feet (albiet a tad bit wobbly). She chuckles nervously, realizing a little too late that her hands are still resting on his chest. She quickly jerks them down to her sides, palms sweaty, and utters a meek "sorry about that" in Damien's direction, before tucking a wayward strand of brunette hair behind her ear.

Damien gives a knowing smirk at her bashful display and reaches for her hand again. He delicately laces they're fingers together and says, "No worries, sweetheart. You can run into me anytime, anywhere.", in a husky voice.

Kat's mouth drops open and goes desert dry instantly. Damien had never shown any interst in her in the past. She was a year younger than him, so they didn't have any classes together, and he had barely spoken a single word to her outside of the occasional "hey" as they passed in the hall. Now all of a sudden, he was calling her by her nickname and making suggestive remarks? She didn't know whether she was still daydreaming or she'd actually hit the floor and was suffering from a mild concussion. The part of her brain that was still functioning surmised that Mr. Glass had probably run through all the girls in his year and had moved on to the junior class for some fresh meat. This thought seemed to bring her back to reality and she quickly eased her hand from his and began collecting her books from the floor.

"No thanks, Damien. I wouldn't wanna end up like all the other girls you mess around with and leave in the dust", she said, feeling proud of herself for not falling for his trap.

Damien, on the other hand, was flabbergasted. Not only was he not used to such blatent rejection, but he actually kind of liked it. Nothing feeds an ego like snatching up your prey after a hunt and Kathryn was quite the catch. Even he could recognize her unmatched beauty. While most of the girls that ran in his circles were attractive, nearly all of them were way too done up either through surgery or makeup. Kat had a natural allure about her. With caramel colored skin, dark wavy hair, and warm brown eyes with flecks of green, she was model worthy in the looks department. Not to mention her body was amazing, by his standards. She was the perfect girl to take home to mother, as the saying goes, and he hadn't realized it until just before summer break. 

Of course, Damien had seen her in the halls of the academy plenty of times and he was always cordial, but he'd never paid much attention until he heard her cackling laugh as he passed by her locker one day. Now that may not be the most romantic description ever, but hear me out. Damien had turned abruptly to find the person that would make such an offensive noise only to be stopped in his tracks. There she was, openly laughing at something her friend had said with such unabashed joy on her face that she seemed to glow. Damien was momentarily speachless because he had never witnessed such beautiful freedom in a girl before. She wasn't preoccupied with what those around her would think, she didn't seem to care that she was loud and obnoxious. She was just being herself and Damien found that refreshing. So much so that he spent the entire summer (between flights on his father's private jet) hunting down every single piece of information he could dig up on Ms. Kathryn Rockmore.

He could proudly say that he probably knew more about her than anyone besides God. Having friends in high places and more money than he could ever spend had it's perks, after all. Ever since that fateful day, Damien knew he had to have her. He could feel the need to own this girl burning through his veins. He'd desired plenty of girls (and women) before, but nothing compared to the visceral need he felt to make her his. She was everything his father told him to settle down with. Of course, he was encouraged to sow his wild oates (discretely and safely), but father always said he should commit to a wholesome girl that would look lovely on his arm, satisfy his needs in the bedroom, and be worthy of the Glass name. Damien knew he was looking right at her. Kathryn Rockmore was the girl for him and as piercing eyes bore into her back as she walked away carrying her books, he knew he'd do anything to capture her heart. Absolutely anything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Normally I will be updating on Sundays, but I have a busy weekend ahead because it's MY BIRTHDAY! In honor of my celebration, here's a new chapter. Don't get your hopes up about early updates. This one was fun to write and was finished early so, why not? 🤷🏾

Kat could feel his eyes burning into her back, but she didn't dare turn around to check. She already felt bad enough for rejecting him, but it had to be done. She could not become one of those mindless girls that fell all over themselves for just a smidge of Damien's attention only to be used and discarded like yesterday's paper. No matter how much she wanted to believe that she would be the girl to change his promiscuous ways, Kat knew that it wasn't likely. She knew he would whisper sweet nothings in her ear only long enough for him to spread her legs and take what he really wanted. _Don't fall for it, Kat. Think with your head and not with your heart_ , she thought as she finally made her way into the dining hall.

The room was filled with the sound of excited chatter and clattering silverware. It seemed that the student body was still energized from summer vacation and her spirits lifted at the thought. Kat nearly forgot why she was in such a rush to get to lunch in the first place. Her best friends Darla and Carmen were meeting her at their usual spot in the courtyard so they could catch up. The three of them had barely saw each other all summer. No matter how they planned, one of them was always too busy with a prior engagement to hang out. Now that school was back in session they could finally have some girl time.

Kat quickly piled some food on her plate from the buffet (a slice of pizza and a side salad, to be exact) and made her way outside. The air was still warm with the summer sun, but there was a light breeze that promised a crisp autumn in the near future. She spotted the girls exactly where she knew they'd be and hurried over. In addition to gushing about her time in Greece, she had to tell them about her run in with Damien.

Darla noticed her first and gave and ear piercing squeal as she hugged Kat within an inch of her life. Kat couldn't contain her bright smile as she accepted Darla's affection (even if her friend was more like a boa constrictor than a teenage girl). Kat gave Carmen a dramatic eye roll and the blonde girl returned a knowing shrug. Darla was definitely the more excitable one of the group. She was Asian American, petite, and thin with black hair styled in a bob. On her face she wore stylish, horn rimmed glasses that she changed everyday depending on her mood. Carmen, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She had long bleach blonde hair that was typically styled in effortless beach waves, bright blue eyes, and a tall lean figure. Even at her young age she'd already been featured in a few ad campaigns for major brands like Levi's and Abercrombie. Although she looked like the all American girl, she was anything but. Sometimes Kat thought of Carmen as her spirit animal because she was so confident and alluring. She never second guessed herself and had a sharp tongue to go with her strong personality. They were all so different that sometimes Kat wondered how they had even become friends in the first place.

Once she was released from Darla's death grip and finally able to take a deep breath, Kat sat her tray on the wooden table and slid into her usual spot, left of Miss Boa and across from Carmen. Excited tension was crackling between the girls as they all rushed to gush about their vacations all at once. When they finally recovered from a fit of giggles, Carmen got things back on track.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way...Kat I can read you like a book and I know for a fact you have something juicy to tell us", she said, pointing her chocolate pudding covered spoon at her friend.

Kat sheepishly ducked her head, picking at her salad. In addition to being drop dead gorgeous, Carmen was also some sort of private investigator. There was rarely ever any gossip that traveled through the school halls that the blonde wasn't privy to. Kat didn't know how she did it, but the model was always in the know. How she'd found out about Damien in the time between their run-in and her sitting at the lunch table was inconceivable.

"Well...", Kat began, nervously clearing her throat, "I was sorta kinda hit on by someone in the hall on my way here.", she mumbled, completely avoiding eye contact with the girl across from her.

Kat was fully aware of Carmen's opinion of her long-time crush. Knowing all the latest gossip also meant that the blonde model heard plenty of not-so-nice things about one Damien Glass, especially since he tended to be the center of much controversy amongst the female population of the school. According to Carmen, Damien was a no-good, womanizing, son of a bitch, whose dick deserved to fall off (or be forcibly removed, if Carmen had her way). Telling Carmen that Damien had made a move on her would not go over very well, to say the least. Darla, on the other hand, was eager to hear all about it, hopeless romantic that she was.

"Spill, girl!", she exclaimed, turning her smile and undivided attention on Kat.

Before Kat could utter a word, Carmen cut her off. "Let me guess...Damien bumped into you at your locker and gave you some bogus pick-up line to get in your pants.", she said in a tone both bored and unimpressed. "And you, dear Kathryn, being the lovesick puppy you are, ate it right up."

Kat knew that Carmen's harsh tone wasn't meant to hurt her, but it stung nonetheless. She couldn't help that she like Damien so much, in spite of all the awful things she'd heard. He was attractive and charming and had a promising future. All he needed was the right girl by his side to straighten him out. Why couldn't Carmen just be happy that Kat had finally gotten his attention? Kat furrowed her brows at Carmen's remarks and did her best not to let the blonde's words get to her. She felt Darla's sympathetic hand caress her shoulder and offered her friend a small smile. At least one of her friends was being supportive.

When she finally gathered the courage to look at Carmen, it was with fire and resolve in her eyes. "Why is it so hard to believe that he might actually like me?", Kat said sharply. "I know I may not be as rich or as pretty as some of the other girls, but I have a lot to offer and maybe he sees that!".

She was proud to have stood up for herself, but she was not prepared for the hard truths her friend would spew next. "You can't be serious Kat?", Carmen said incredulously. "He's clearly flirting with you so he can screw you and move on to the next doe-eyed girl willing to drop her pants for a piece of his attention! I thought you were smarter than that."

A tense silence hung in the air. Kat could only stare at her best friend (so she thought) as she digested her words. Is that what Carmen really thought of her? She was some dumb, desperate girl willing to give it up for scraps? Kat's lip trembled as her eyes welled with tears.

"I guess it's good to know what your friends really think of you.", Kat said in a heartbroken voice, before she abandoned her lunch and fled to the main building.

"How could you?", Darla questioned, turning a steely gaze on the blonde teen. Although Carmen did feel bad about her delivery (she had the tendency to not mince her words), she probably should've been more tactful. She loved Kat like a sister, but she could see the train wreck coming from a mile away.

"It needed to be said, Dar.", she responded with a sigh. "She needed to hear the truth, even if it hurts."

Darla scoffed in response, "What she needed was support from her best friend. Maybe someone needs to remind you how to be a good one.", and she stormed off to find Kat.

Carmen was sufficiently chastised and alone. Whether she reacted poorly or not, Kathryn needed to hear honesty from someone. Lord knew it wouldn't be Damien. He would tell the girl anything to get what he wanted. But perhaps I could've eased the blow a bit, she thought despondently. What Carmen didn't realize was that her words, coupled with the pride and stubbornness she'd always loved about Kat, would be the very traits to push her into the devils arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kat burst through the metal doors of the girl's dormitory corridor. The academy was made up of three separate buildings all connected by a beautifully landscaped walkway. The center building held all the administrative offices, classrooms, and dining facilities. The West Wing held the boys' dorms and the East Wing held the girls'. She fought back tears as she made a beeline for the room she shared with Darla. She hoped no one would run after her. She just needed a moment to compose herself before her friends came to coddle her.

Deep down, Kat knew there was some truth to Carmen's words. Damien Glass was a dangerous boy to entrust her heart to, he'd proven that time and time again. Many teenage girls had believed themselves to be the one to tame his wild ways only to end up with a smeared reputation and broken heart in the aftermath. Maybe she was being naive, but she wasn't anything like those other girls. She was genuine, intelligent, and didn't want him for money or status. She truly believed that she could bring out the best in him and in return he would see her as more than just a fling, but someone to commit to.

In the midst of her blurred vision, Kat didn't notice the object of her affection sauntering down the hall towards her. Never mind where he was coming from (his latest conquest most likely), he finally had her alone while the other students were heading for afternoon classes. This was the perfect opportunity to soften her up. He knew his reputation preceded him, but it was an obstacle he was sure to overcome. He just needed a little more Glass charm than usual.

"Is that my Kitty Kat?", Damien quipped with a trademark grin, showing off his gleaming white teeth.

Kat stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of his voice. _Speak of the devil_ , she thought, as she hurriedly schooled her expression and wiped a few tears from her face. God, she hoped her eyes weren't puffy and red right now. How embarrassing!

Before she could completely compose herself, however, Damien was upon her. He stood impossibly close, his expensive cologne wafting into her senses. Damien delicately tipped Kat's chin so that her warm honey eyes were staring into his own.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?", he simpered, "who's done something to upset such a precious girl?".

Kat preened under his attention and tried her best not to burst into tears on the spot. "Just got into a fight with my friend.", she whimpered tearfully.

Damien used his thumb to catch a tear before it could fall, a frown of concern etched in his brow. "Poor thing.", he responded sweetly. "How about I walk you to your dorm and make you feel better?"

At Kat's skeptical gaze, he quickly clarified, "No strings attached. Just looking out for a new friend."

Kat relaxed at his words and nodded in agreement. She knew she was probably falling for his trap, but she couldn't muster the energy to care. She deserved at least a little comfort right now and from the object of her affection, no less. The couple entered her tidy room and the wooden door clicked quietly behind them. Kat was immediately overcome with nerves. She'd never had a boy in her room before and she had no idea how these things worked. Noticing her hesitation, Damien grabbed her hand and led her to the side of the suite that he correctly presumed to be hers. Once they were closed in her half of the dorm room, he gingerly sat next to Kat on her neatly made bed. He wrapped his arm around her and encouraged her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I know I have a pretty jaded reputation within these walls", he spoke softly, "but I assure you that I have only the best intentions, Kat."

Kat didn't know how to respond to his admission, so she sat quietly waiting for him to continue. "You're a very special girl...I can already tell. I would love to get to know you better, if only you'd give me a chance.", he said sweetly, turning his body to face her fully.

Kat stared back at him in wonder. Was Damien Glass, resident playboy and possibly the most eligible boy on the east coast, seriously showing interest in her? Part of her wondered whether it was just a ploy, something he said to all the other girls he was trying to woo, but another part of her saw the sincerity in his bright brown eyes. She wanted so badly to believe him, but Carmen's harsh words were still echoing in the back of her mind. She pulled away from his embrace, dejection clouding his features, and steeled her resolve.

"How do I know I won't end up like all the other girls?", she queried. "How do I know you won't break my heart?"

 _Clever girl_ , Damien thought as he gathered his words to answer her properly. It was true that he used these very same lines to get into every girl's pants (he'd actually just done so an hour prior), but Kat didn't need to know that. In fact, he did actually mean what he said. He wanted to get to know her better. He was enthralled by her natural beauty, her smarts, her charisma. She was the perfect girl to stand by his side. He was a high school senior and would be off to college and taking over his father's oil company in a matter of years. It was high time he found someone to take along on his journey. He couldn't trust snobby college girls who would throw themselves at him based on his wealth alone. He needed to build a proper foundation with someone who knew him, someone who had never debased herself for his affection and had twice been smart enough to question his motives.

With a calculated response in mind, Damien replied, "You're nothing like any other girl I've been with. There's just something about you that I'm drawn to and I think it's worth exploring." He grasps her small hand in his, lacing their fingers together. Kat's breath hitches, heart fluttering with anticipation.

So, Carmen had been wrong. Not about his past, but about his intentions for her. She wasn't just another girl. She was special! He'd said so himself. She would be damned if she didn't jump at the chance to prove her friend wrong. But first, she needed more proof. Something more official...and public.

"Prove it!", she said in haste. "Show me why I should believe you."

Damien was momentarily taken aback. He thought his words would be enough to quell her doubt, but apparently not. No worries, however. If a grand gesture is what she wanted then a grand gesture she would get.

"My party!", he exclaimed. "You'll be the girl on my arm at my annual back-to-school bash. That way everyone will know that you're mine.", he leered.

 _Grand gesture indeed_ , she thought. Every year, Mr. Glass allowed Damien to throw a no holds barred, back-to-school pool party to mark the beginning of the new term. This year's bash promised to be the best one yet, seeing as it was Damien's last. Damien had never taken a girl as his date. Yes, he flirted with girls throughout the night (even took quite a few of them up to his room), but never had he shared the spotlight with someone for all to see. It was exactly the push Kat needed.

"Okay!", she beamed. "As long as you promise that you're mine too.", she added shyly.

Damien found her bashful nature truly endearing. He brought her hand to his plush lips to kiss her soft flesh, loving the sound of her labored breath as his mouth brushed her skin.

"Then it's a date", he replied, sealing the deal.

It hadn't been easy, but he finally had her exactly where he wanted her. He could sweet talk with the best of them and he bloomed with pride that even a girl as strong willed as Kathryn Rockmore fell prey to his advances. Damien would play the sweetheart card to worm his way into her heart. Public displays of affection, romantic dates, thoughtful gifts. Little by little she would fall for him, as they all did. However, this time he would not discard her. He would ensare her and never let go. She would be his rose and he, her glass cage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting this a day sooner than I expected but whatever. I'm just letting my muse contol when I update because schedules are clearly too hard to follow. I've decided only to post once the following chapter is already written. We'll see how that goes.
> 
> P.S. Things start to get a little darker from here on out.

After that fateful afternoon, things progressed quickly for Damien and Kat. He flaunted her throughout the halls, fawning over her, carrying her textbooks, bringing her extra treats during lunch, pecking her on the cheek between classes. Damien was so open with his courtship that news spread rather quickly that he and Kathryn were an item. The first day, no one actually believed the rumors (I mean, come on! The resident playboy settling down with a wholesome girl? Get a grip people.) But the more public affection he showed the more Damien's "changed man" image permeated the student body. Within a week every administrator, student, and staff member knew that he was seriously pursuing Kat and the honey-skinned teen couldn't help but basque in all the new found attention she was getting. 

Before, she'd flown under the radar. Besides her best friends and a few acquaintances she met in class, no one knew who Kathryn Rockmore was. She was considered "new money", meaning she didn't come from a history of family money, but she'd come upon her wealth recently. In some circles, those things mattered. Jealous girls from old family money couldn't understand why someone with the Glass name would stoop so low as to commit to a girl of little wealth. Yes, Kat had a big house and lived a lavish life now, but what was she compared to a girl that could live solely off her trust fund?

On the flip side, those students from meager backgrounds that had some riches or were on scholarship, truly admired Kat. However you sliced it, most people would choose wealth over almost anything and when they saw Kat, they saw someone who started from the bottom to eventually capture the heart of true riches. What teenager wouldn't be enamored by the ultimate fairytale story?

While Damien (and his father, who had eyes an ears all through the school) were quite proud of the improved boost to their public image (dating a "good, humble girl had its perks, after all), Kat wasn't used to so much attention. Within a matter of days, she went from relative obscurity to the most popular girl in school. This presented both good and bad results, however. On the one hand, Carmen had eventually come around. Even though they had a little spat, Carmen would never abandon her friend and so she apologized shortly after the fight and vowed to cut out Damien's tongue if he even so much as uttered a fowl word against Kat. The brown eyed girl simply embraced her friend in thanks for her support. Kat knew it wasn't easy for Carmen to admit she was wrong and this showed how much she truly cared. That didn't mean the blond bombshell would let her guard down completely, but she'd rather be close to Kat so she could keep an even closer eye on Mr. Glass. Carmen had to admit, though, so far, Damien had been nothing but a gentlemen. How long that would last? She had no idea. On the other hand, Kat had gotten countless dirty looks from girl who thought they deserved Damien and not Kat or from old flames that were simply jealous that he hadn't chosen them. There was even a rumor going around that she was knocked up and that was the only reason Damien had considered dating her. That last one was hurtful, but Kat, and anyone who actually knew, her knew the truth.

From the time they'd made things official in her dorm room, Kat hadn't spent a single moment without Damien by her side. He was constantly within reach, taking her on coffee dates, helping her study, walking her to and from classes. It was flattering at first, but now she felt kinda smothered. Not that she would complain (she didn't want to discourage the boy from trying his best to woo her), but a little breathing room would be nice. Her only reprieve was the back-to-school pool party that weekend. It was the Thursday before the bash (they'd been offical for all of four days) and Damien would be busy with last minute planning for the next two days. He'd seemed hesitant to leave Kat on her own, even for the sake of his party, but Kat insisted she would be fine by her lonesome until Saturday. After all, she had some homework to catch up on and friends to look after her in his absence. Damien hadn't been too happy about that (she could practically see the fury in his eyes), but Kat was able to quell his ire by telling him she wanted to surpise him with her outfit and she needed time to shop. Of course, he wouldn't let her leave for her Advanced Trigonometry class until she agreed to use his Amex Black for any and all purchases (she ended up being nearly 10 minutes late). Kat accepted after much convincing, but it still left her feeling uneasy. She didn't want to be one of those girls that ran up the credit card bill simply because her boyfriend could afford it. It made her feel queasy just at the thougt of spending Damien's money. The only thing that encouraged her to accept his offer was that she knew there was a certain image she needed to uphold if she was going to appear on the arm of Damien Glass.

Kat had never been a materialistic person, but she would be remiss if she didn't acknowledge that Damien was used to being with a "certain type of girl". Kat had a few nice things in her closet, but she was a simple girl at heart. She knew there was nothing in her wardrobe that would live up to Damien Glass standards. She would need a new dress for greeting guests, a new bikini for the pool and outdoor activities, something stylish and comfy for after swimming was over, and something sexy for Damien once they were left alone.

Now, Kat didn't know much about seducing someone, but she was almost certain that part of it included sleeping with the object of your affection. She was a virgin and she hadn't given much thought to losing her vigintiy, but part of her understood that Damien had needs. You didn't go from sleeping with any girl you wanted to being celibate in a week just because your girlfriend was a virgin. Kat needed to put out at some point if she was going to keep Damien's interest (otherwise she was sure some other slut would be more than willing to take her place immediately).

So, it was with a heavy heart (and wallet) that Kat dragged her friends on a shopping spree on Damien's dime. It was actually the mention of shopping that completely warmed Carmen to the idea of giving Damien the benefit of the doubt (being a model meant she had a very keen fashion sense and love of shopping). Of course, Darla was sweet and sympathetic, but the only way Carmen was willing to go along with this plan (after combing through every single detail of Kat's conversation with Damien) was the fact that he was footing the bill. Carmen had thoroughly assured her friend that in all her digging and investigating, she had never heard of the playboy giving away his limitless credit card to any girl. Not even the one girl he'd actually considered dating that one time (she had long since transferred schools and it only lasted about two weeks, but still). 

This made Kat beam! This revelation further proved that she was special, that Damien wouldn't treat her like all the other girls. Miss Kathryn Rockmore was trusted with the family Black card. That had to mean something, right?

The party was that Saturday, but it wasn't until Thursday that the girls decided to do some shopping. The mall was way too crowded on Fridays and no one shopped for an event the day before. The three friends drove to the nearest high-end outlet mall in Carmen's Corvette convertible (a gift from her parents in honor of her latest modeling gig) after classes that day. It felt so good to feel the wind in her hair and jam to her favorite songs with her best friends. Despite being nervous about making a good first impression, Kat was actually excited. She had very little dating experience besides a kiss or two with a guy a long while ago and she never thought that dating was in her future during high school. Kat had always assumed she would find someone after college or beyond. Now that a serious boyfriend was in reach, she really wanted to impress him.

First order of business was finding the perfect party dress. Carmen insisted that the dress be black to make her look more sophisticated, mid-thigh length to give her some sex appeal, and should make a statement when she entered the room. Kat was so grateful to have a friend like Carmen. No offense to Darla, but neither of them were as stylish as their blonde friend. She really came in handy when making sure they all looked their best. After trying on nearly a dozen dresses, Kat finally found one that dropped Carmen's jaw and made Darla squeal. It was a black feathered cocktail dress, with a v-neck and deep opening in the back. The best part of the dress was the illusion of bare skin due to the nude lining and artfully placed sequins. It was somehow both tasteful and sultry. 

Kat nearly fainted when she saw the price tag. Not that spending $4000 on a dress was unheard of, but she was nervous about spending that much of Damien's money. He didn't give her a limit, simply telling her to get whatever she wanted, and she had no idea how much was too much. Before she could talk herself out of getting the dress, Carmen had already snatched it up and ran to the register (along with her purse and a pair of D&G pumps). Maybe it was for the better that she was forced into this. She really did love the dress and she thought Damien would love her in it too. And so she resigned herself to being dragged from store to store until she purchased everything she needed for the party (including a few extra things that Carmen insisted she deserved). 

Three hours and $10,000 later they were finally done, sitting in a nearby courtyard, enjoying some ice cream, when Kat's phone rang. She frowned in confusion wondering who would possibly be calling her right now (both her best friends were with her and she normally didn't catch up with her parents until the weekend). When she saw Damien's name flash across her screen, she relaxed, her face breaking into a warm smile. She answered quickly before the call went to voicemail.

"Hey babe. What's up?", she asked, rolling her eyes at her friends teasing her for using the pet name. Her happiness at hearing Damien's voice was short lived, however. 

"Where are you?", he asked coldly. 

Kat was momentarily taken aback. He hadn't spoken to her that way before and she couldn't think of a reason he would be upset with her. Darla and Carmen looked on with concern at Kat's upset expression. 

"I'm at the mall with my friends.",she said, laughing off his abrasive demeanor. "Remember I told you I needed some things for the party."

She heard Damien sigh deeply. "Yes, sweetheart, I remember, but you didn't tell me you were leaving. I have been worried sick looking for you all over the damn school.", he seethed.

Kat looked worriedly at her friends, noticing their concern and decided this conversation was probably best had in private. She excused herself for a moment and once she was a safe distance away resumed her call.

"Babe, I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye before I left. I just figured I would get my shopping done and catch up with you later.", she explained, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

Damien chuckled darkly. "And you didn't have the common decency to respond to any of my texts while you were out spending my money?", he hissed, causing Kat to flinch at his tone.

This was a side of Damien she had never seen before. She wasn't sure if this was normal behavior or if he really was that worried about her. This was all just as new to him as it was to her. He trusted her with his credit card and all she'd done was wrack up a ridiculously high bill and ignore him all day. She hadn't even realized he'd been texting her nonstop for the past 2 hours. Of course, he was livid right now!

Before she could get out an apology, Damien interjected. "For all I know you could be flaunting my money while out with some guy being a slut!"

Kat's mouth hung open in disbelief. "Damien, how could you even think that?!", she exclaimed, willing herself not to cry. She couldn't let her friends know that they'd been dating for less than a week and already they were fighting. Carmen would rub her face in it for sure.

"Get back here now, Kathryn. We need to talk.", he finished before ending the call abruptly.

Kat couldn't believe what had just happened. She didn't mean to ignore him. She hadn't even realized that he was texting her, otherwise she would've explained herself long before Damien got so upset. She wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation. On the one hand, she didn't think it fair that Damien hadn't let her explain herself. He would've realized it was a big misunderstanding. Calling her names and accusing her of using him for his money and cheating was unacceptable. On the other hand, however, she could totally see where he was coming from. He trusted her like he trusted no other girl and at the first opportunity she went on a shopping spree without even letting him know and hadn't spoken to him all day, adding fuel to the fire. And the ominous way he ended the call was not a good sign. Kat had finally gotten the man of her dreams. She couldn't let one little spat derail all the progress they'd made so far. She needed to get back to school and smooth things over before Damien grew any angrier.

She took a few deep breaths to compose herself and returned to her friends, who were anxiously waiting to hear what happened.

"What happened? Is everything alright?", Darla queried, faced scrunched worriedly.

"Yeah...", Kat replied. "Everything is fine. He was just worried that he hadn't heard from me in a while."

Carmen's eyebrows shot up at her explanation. "So loverboy goes a few hours without talking to you and all of a sudden the world is ending? Possessive much?"

Kat was offended by her friend's tone. "There's nothing wrong with my boyfriend being worried about me.", she defended.

"Whatever you say.", Carmen replied skeptically. "Let's head back before Mr. Glass blows a gasket."

The three friends trudged back to the convertible, all in different states of thought. Her friends were troubled by they way the afternoon unfolded, one far more than the other. As for Kat, she wasn't sure whether to rush back to Damien or take her sweet time for fear of what was awaiting her. She never wanted to feel this level of anxiety with her boyfriend. She just hoped everything would be alright in the end.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on a roll people! Don't get too excited though 😆. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The drive back to the academy felt painfully long, even if it was only about half an hour. It didn't help that no one uttered a single word during the entire trip. Everyone could feel the tension in the air, but no one wanted to upset the delicate balance of energy between them. Darla, the sweetheart that she was, didn't want Kat to think she thought badly of her new boyfriend. As her roommate, she knew better than anyone how lonely Kat had been, longing for the intimacy so many other girls got to experience. Carmen, conversely, knew that if she opened her big mouth she would undoubtedly say something she'd regret. Damien's controlling behavior was unacceptable, but Carmen knew there was no getting through to Kat. She finally had a boyfriend and she wouldn't give that up without a fight. Her dogged determination was one of the things she loved about Kat the most. She just hoped she didn't lose herself in Damien Glass like so many girls before her.

Kat was having her own mental battle. Part of her understood that Damien's reaction wasn't healthy. His tone was scary and demanding and it made her feel uneasy. She knew deep down that he shouldn't make her feel this way, but she had very little relationship experience so maybe this was more normal than she thought. It was normal for couples to have misunderstandings and she could justify his behavior if she tried. Perhaps he had calmed down while he waited and would finally allow her to apologize and explain. Kat and Damien had spent nearly all their free time together since they started dating. Each morning she would send him a wake up message and wish him a great day. They would meet at her locker after her first class and he would escort her to her next one. They sat together during lunch, alternating between her friends and his. They even studied together in his dorm room every night (always his because he had a single and didn't have to worry about a roommate interrupting them). With as much time as they spent around each other, it made sense that going an entire day without seeing or hearing from Kat would drive him up a wall. Kat just wanted this whole day to be over with. The sooner they got this resolved, the better.

Soon they were pulling up to the main building. Kat quietly collected all her bags from the car and bid her friends a goodnight.

"I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow.", she said, trying to hide her nervous expression.

Her friends looked on with worry. They could practically feel the anxiety rolling off of Kat in waves.

"Make sure you let us know you're okay.", Carmen said with a sigh. "I'll kick his ass if you need me to."

Kat gave a weak smile, appreciating her sentiment. "I'm sure everything will be fine. It's just a lovers quarrel.", she assured, hugging each girl before walking towards the boys dorms and her fate.

"I sure hope so.", Darla whispered, as she watched Kat's form retreat into the West Wing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damien was pacing tracks into the rug in the sitting area of his room as he waited for Kat to return. He knew it took about 30 minutes to get from the mall back to the academy and it was the longest 30 minutes of his life. He was practically smoking from his ears after he hung up with Kat. How she could think it was okay to go a full day with a single word was beyond him? _Anything could've happened to her and he would've been none the wiser!_ , he thought. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself before he burst a blood vessel. He could feel a headache coming on and it wouldn't do to be irate and in pain once Kat finally arrived. He also didn't want to scare the poor girl anymore than he already had. He could hear the tremble in her voice over the phone, and while it gave him a sense of power that he could inspire such fear in her, he didn't want her to be afraid of him. Not completely, anyway. A certain level of fear would garner respect from your inferiors (something his father had always taught him). Respect, in turn, gave you a level of power and control. And as a Glass man, respect and power were of utmost importance.

It was the sound of a tentative knock at his door that broke Damien from his musings. He smoothed back the few curls that hung loose across his face and straightened his academy issued polo. The sight of Kat, all meek and nervous, on the other side of his door warmed his heart. Before he could utter a word, the petite girl crashed into him in a fierce hug, nearly knocking the air out of him, her shooping bags completely forgotten on the hardwood floors. He took a moment to catch his breath before returning her hug. Not nearly as tightly, though. He was still quite peeved with her behavior.

"I'm so sorry about everything.", she said tearfully. "Please forgive me.", she pleaded.

Damien took a moment to contemplate how best to approach the situation. He had to make sure Kat understood her role in this relationship, but he also had a soft spot for her. He didn't want to be too harsh, but he needed to put his foot down. Slowly, Damien peeled Kat's arms from around his waist and gently cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to stare into his eyes. Even in sadness she was quite stunning, honey brown eyes glistening with tears. He sweetly wiped away the few that escaped before speaking.

"Babe, I hope you understand why I was so angry. You ran off with my money without a single word.", he said. Kat could only nod because she did understand. She might've been just as upset had Damien disappeared on her with something so valuable.

"And then you had the nerve to ignore me.", he continued darkly. "If I call, you answer. If I text, you respond.", he finished.

Kat stared into his darkened eyes, breathing shallowly out of fear. The look of ire on Damien's face made her knees weak. "But...", she tried to explain.

"No buts Kat!", he barked. Kat flinched at the sound. She could feel his grip tighten as he stared unblinking into her eyes. "If we're going to be together, there will be rules. One of which is answering your phone so that I know where you are and what you're doing."

Kat was flabbergasted. This didn't seem right. A relationship where she had to drop everything to pick up the phone for fear of her boyfriend? He didn't need to threaten her nor control her in order for their relationship to work. But...what choice did she have? If she argued or refused he would accept her rejection and move on, no questions asked. He didn't need her because there were plenty of other girls constantly vying for his attention and he chose her over all of them. Kat really did want to stand up for herself. She wasn't used to this type of possessive behavior. But did she truly want to end things when they had barely begun? The least she could do is give it her best effort and if things didn't work out, well at least she tried.

Kat nodded. "Yeah...I understand.", she agreed solemnly. _I hope it's worth it_ , she thought.

And it almost was to see the beaming smile Damien gave her. "Good. I'm glad to hear it.", he said before leaning in to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. "I missed you today.", he whispered onto her lips.

Kat melted at his words, allowing him to take charge. The couple had kissed a few times, but nothing as heavy as the kiss they shared that night. Kat preferred to take things slow, and Damien agreed not to push her, but she felt like she owed him something other than her words as an apology. She wasn't quite ready to go all the way, but as Damien led her to his bed, she figured it wouldn't hurt to satisfy him somewhat after screwing up so badly.

In no time, he had her on her back, head pressed into plush pillows as he plundered her mouth with his tongue. Kat struggled to keep up (she didn't have much experience in the kissing department, after all) and moaned at the feel of the wet muscle massaging her own. Though the kiss was a bit forceful, she had to admit she was enjoying Damien's dominance over her at least a little.

Minutes passed and things progressed from making out to fondling pretty quickly. Kat was okay with a touch here or there, but she didn't want things to go too far. However committed she was to keeping her boyfriend satisfied, she couldn't have sex with him just yet. Part of it was out of self respect and part of it was out of worry that he'd leave her soon after. The teen boy's hand slowly trailed down her neck, landing on her breast, squeezing gently. Kat arched into his touch seeking more as he kissed his way to her neck, suckling at a particularly tender spot. Kat continued to enjoy his caress, sweet sighs and high pitched whimpers leaving her mouth that the arpused boy was thoroughly enjoying, until his hand moved from her breast further south.

Damien attempted to distract her from his intentions by returning his lips to her mouth. However, just as his hand reached the waistband of her leggings, he felt a hand clasp his wrist. Kat was panting heavily, clearly enjoying their passion, but the look in her eyes screamed trepidation.

"Come on, babe.", he said in a sultry drawl. "I just wanna make you feel good. ", he added, gently stroking the exposed skin where her shirt had ridden up.

Kat was almost certain that if she gave in it would feel absolutley amazing, but she had to be smart about this. The resident playboy, with all of his charms, was adept at getting girls to do what he wanted. She was pretty sure he was demonstrating exactly how good he was at wooing them right now. She needed to keep her wits about her and think with her head. Feeling his fingers dip past her leggings forced her back to reality and she bolted upright, barely avoiding headbutting a very confused Damien.

"I'm not ready, Damien.", she said, nervously tucking her wayward strands behind her ear. "Not yet."

Kat could practically see the moment the handsome boy's demeanor changed. His features instantly darkened and his once lustful gaze turned cold. She was almost afraid he wouldn't take no for an answer, when he abruptly stood from the bed to put distance between them. Kat sighed (silently) in relief. It was short lived, however.

Damien nodded stiffly. "Fine.", he responded in a clipped tone. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then.", he said dismissively.

Kat new a dismissal when she heard one, but she tried to laugh it off, slightly hurt by his reaction. "Babe, we'll get there soon. I promise."

She may not have realized the gravity of promising this boy her virginity, but she couldn't back out now. At least her remarks returned some warmth to his eyes. Damien straightened out his uniform slacks, attempting to hide his raging erection. He went to collect her many shopping bags and held them out to her, clearly done with her company for the night.

"I guess only time will tell.", he remarked cryptically. Kat wasn't sure what he meant by that, but it didn't give her much confidence that their night would end on a positive note. She resigned herself to giving him some space in hopes that tomorrow things would be better. Gathering her things (being sure to leave his Amex Black on the nightstand) she took her leave, turning to offer her boyfriend a goodnight kiss only to be met with surface of the mahogany door. The lock _snicked_ with finality and Kat solemnly walked herself back to her room on the other side of campus.

Today was a disaster, but the honey-skinned girl was ever the optimist. She would approach tomorrow with a new attitude (making sure to text Damien first thing in the morning) and hopefully her positivity will rub off on him. Hopefully.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi...don't hate me...I have COVID-19! But that's still no excuse for taking so long to update. I've been recovering well and luckily my symptoms never became serious. I was one of the fortunate ones. Not everyone will have my good fortune so please be safe! Even if you aren't concerned about yourself, please be concerned about the people around you. 
> 
> Okay...I'm done with my PSA. Enjoy the chapter!

The following morning was a rough one for Kat. For starters, she didn't sleep well at all the night before. She was restless and her mind was racing with thoughts of her first real argument with Damien. She didn't like the way they'd left things and the stress made it nearly impossible to fall asleep. Eventually, exhaustion forced her into dreamland, but even her dreams haunted her by replaying their fight over and over. Needless to say, Kat could barely drag herself from bed that morning, let alone muster the energy to go to breakfast. She decided to skip out on eating so she could take her time getting ready for the day. She didn't think she'd be able to keep anything down anyway.

When she had returned to her room the previous night, she was hoping to avoid an interrogation from her roommate, but Darla being the worry wart that she was, anxiously waited for her to get back. Kat was accosted with rapid-fire questions about what happened and who said what and who reacted how. She really didn't mean to snap at her friend, but Kat also didn't want her to know how low Damien had made her feel. She was 100% certain that word would get back to Carmen and Kat couldn't deal with an "I told you so" right now. So, she rudely dismissed Darla's concern and went to shower instead. By the time Kat crawled into bed, Darla had given up on her crusade and closed herself in her room on the other side of the suite. Kat felt bad for pushing her away (Darla was truly the sweetest person she knew), but she was emotionally drained and she just couldn't deal with the pitying look in Darla's eyes when she told her how she'd let Damien walk all over her.

Kat was supposed to be strong and fearless. But none of that showed up when faced with Damien's demands. She never thought she would be _that_ type of girl. The type to fold under a man's pressure. She wanted to believe she would stand up for herself and demand respect, but when faced with the task, she failed. She was so worried about further disappointing him or pushing him too far that she'd swallowed her pride and accepted his treatment. And she couldn't go back on her word now, she had already agreed to his control. This was evident by the text she sent him once she pulled her comforter beneath her chin: _Made it back to my room, babe. Goodnight._ Her message was read, but went unanswered.

That is why Kat was in her current state, exhausted, drained, and anxious. She put as much effort as possible into her appearance that morning, hoping that Damien would notice, so that maybe he would warm up to her again. She wanted things to go back to the way they were before her ill-fated trip to the mall. Kat had been truly happy all week. Who knew that being lavished with that much attention from her boyfriend could feel so good. It felt equally as bad when he took it away, however.

She was set to meet him at her locker, like they'd done every day since they started dating. Kat didn't know why she was so nervous. Perhaps she feared he wouldn't be waiting for her that Friday morning. He still hadn't responded to her texts (not even the _Good morning!_ one she'd sent earlier) so she had no idea if he would show up or not. A no-show might've been better than what greeted her as she turned the corner into the chatter filled hall.

Damien was there, alright, waiting for her, but he wasn't alone. He was casually leaned against the locker next to hers, which just so happened to belong to some leggy, blonde, bimbo, who was currently standing way too close to him, in Kat's opinion. She was giggling at something Damien was saying and Kat nearly snapped when she placed her filthy hand on _her_ boyfriend's chest. Before she could think better of it, Kat stormed towards the pair. She was inwardly seething, but she quickly schooled her features into an icy glare. Funnily enough, her ire wasn't directed at her boyfriend (who, let's be honest, was clearly being a douchebag), but at the skank who dared openly flirt with a guy she knew was taken.

"Well, what do we have here?", Kat asked, eyes shooting daggers at the girl, who didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed. "If I had to guess, I'd say you were flirting with my boyfriend.", she said, a tense smile plastered on her face.

The girl, who clearly didn't know what was best for her, smirked slyly. "Your boyfriend? I was under the impression that he was a free agent."

Kat immediately cut her eyes at Damien, who had the decency to look chagrined. "W-well...I mean...w-we were just...", he stuttered, trying and failing to come up with an explanation for his behavior.

Kat chuckled bitterly. "I can assure you, bitch. He is _very_ taken.", she hissed. Surprising both herself and Damien, Kat dove in for a passionate kiss, making sure to exaggerate in an extra sloppy fashion. Both the bimbo and Damien were stunned when she finally broke the kiss, lips shining with saliva.

"You see? He's all mine. So back off!", she growled, taking satisfaction in seeing the girl cower and swiftly retreat down the hall.

Damien was speechless as he watched the scene unfold before him. Never had he been so turned on in his life. He really hadn't led that girl to believe he was single. He did flirt a little but, honestly he just wanted Kat to see them together. He hadn't anticipated that Kat would turn into a guard dog marking her territory. All he wanted was to make her a little jealous, punish her a bit before forgiving her for yesterday's debacle. But now he was more certain than ever that she was the girl for him. So fierce. So tenacious.

"Babe...", he began. "I swear she was lying. I never told her I was available."

Now that her adrenaline had subsided, Kat felt her heart plummet into her stomach. She felt so betrayed by Damien, she had no idea what to do. All it took was one mistake before he was already trying to replace her? Did he mean anything he said about her being special if it took almost nothing at all for him to start flirting with other girls? She really didn't want to show weakness at the moment, but she couldn't help the tears that welled in her eyes.

"Please, Kat, don't cry. Baby, you're the only girl I want. You have to believe me!", Damien implored.

Kat allowed her boyfriend (?) to wipe her tears as they silently slid down her face. She couldn't even look at him for fear that she would break down.

"H-how c-could you?", she whispered, breath hitching as she spoke. "I th-thought you r-really l-liked me?"

Damien had to play his cards right or he would lose her for sure. Perhaps it was a brash move to try and punish her with jealousy. The relationship was too fresh and now she was starting to doubt his feelings for her. Despite his behavior, he truly did like the girl. It would seem that this relationship stuff was harder to navigate than he thought. Trying to balance love and power was a delicate dance. He really needed to reassure her now.

Damien wrapped his arms around the crying girl and gently pressed her head into his chest. As his hand rubbed soothing circles on her back, he said, "I know what you must be thinking, but I promise it's not what you think. That girl means nothing and you...you are everything."

Kat couldn't help but let her heart soar at his words. She was stupid to let him get away with what she just witnessed, but damn her emotions for getting the best of her. Maybe there was a logical explanation for this. Perhaps that girl was just throwing herself at Damien and Kat just so happened to catch her in the act. It's possible that Damien hadn't had a chance to defend their relationship before she'd come barging in to tell the offending slut off. At this point, Kat felt like she was trying to convince herself more than anything. But what was a she to do?

Once she was able to compose herself, she bravely looked Damien in the eyes with all the intensity she could muster. "Don't let it happen again", she said fiercely.

Before Damien could utter a word in response, Kat had stormed off down the hall. Her morning may have turned into a shit-show, but she refused to let it effect her studies. She would just have to deal with her boyfriend later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damien knew he had screwed up royally with Kat. Even if his little plot was a disaster, he learned something very important about his girlfriend: Kat was feisty. She had no problem standing her ground and defending herself, both of which Damien found surprisingly attractive. He was so used to girls letting him do whatever he wanted that he didn't expect Kat to send that girl running with her tail between her boney legs. He completely underestimated her strength, but it was a trait that would come in handy in the future. After all, a Glass woman needed to be resilient in the face of pressure.

That's why he needed a grand gesture to get back in her good graces. He wasn't wrong often, but when he was he could admit his faults. Plus, Kat was worth groveling for.

It was late afternoon by the time Damien found her. He had to skip baseball practice to enact his plan, but it didn't matter. He was the best player on the team and his dad had gifted the team with new gear every year he's been enrolled at the academy. One missed practice this early in the season wouldn't kill him.

Kat was currently in dance class. The studios were located on the lower level of the main building. Normally he would be distracted by all the scantily clad girls throwing their bodies around, but he only had eyes for one girl in particular.

Kat was completely enthralled performing the contemporary combination her instructor had given the dancers. She had been dancing since she was a little girl and it only took one ballet class for her to fall in love with the art. It was especially helpful during times like today. Kat longed to escape into the music and allow her mind to be free. Her worries washed away as her body moved fluidly to the sounds of the piano. She thrived on being able to forget her troubles by relinquishing herself to the movement. She was so caught up in her own head that she hadn't even noticed the rest of the class go silent.

Damien was momentarily mesmerized by Kat's dance skills. She was an absolute natural, flexible and fluid while also being strong and controlled. She was quite good at her craft. Damien slowly crept his way through the crowd of dancers, some completely smitten by his presence, others clearly annoyed at the interruption. He didn't care, however, because he only had eyes for Kat. She was absolutely stunning in her messy bun and leotard and Damien was dumbfounded at how it took so long for him to recognize such a stunning creature.

It wasn't long after Kat completed a beautiful penche into a forward roll to end the combination that she realized she was the only student still dancing. Everyone else's attention was focused behind her. She couldn't possibly understand what the hold up was until she turned around.

Standing behind her was Damien, still clad in his academy uniform, holding a dozen deep red roses, wrapped in golden plastic. They were clearly fresh from the moist dew still clinging to the petals and Kat couldn't help but be pleasantly shocked at his bold gesture. She didn't even think he was capable of such a romantic display, but here he was risking certain embarrassment and reprimand from the instructor to show her how much he cared.

Kat didn't know what to do in this moment. Her emotions were going haywire trying to decipher how to react. She was simultaneously moved, embarrassed, shocked, and happy so her mouth hung open for a few seconds before she moved into action.

"Damien, what are y...", she started, but was unable to finish because of the soft lips that pressed into hers.

The kiss was sweet and chaste (they did have an audience, after all) and Kat couldn't help the blush that spread across her face when he finally pulled away.

"I didn't know how else to apologize, so I decided to surprise you", he said. "I know it's a bit impulsive, but you needed to know how much I care."

With that he pulled a long velvet box from behind his back. Kat covered her mouth in shock as the other dancers spoke in hushed whispers around her. Even the dance instructor, Mrs. Lovett, was eagerly watching the scene. When the box popped open an audible gasp was heard around the studio. Inside the box was a beautiful rose gold tennis bracelet. It was slim and delicate with tiny diamonds on every link. There was even a charm hanging from one link (a rose gold 'D', for Damien, with a single diamond embedded in the lettering).

Kat was speechless as she stared between the bracelet and her boyfriend. She knew the longer she waited the more awkward things would get, but she didn't know what to say. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and praise him for such a sweet gesture, but she didn't want Damien to think he could buy her forgiveness with lavish gifts. In the end, she decided to put him out of his misery. They could discuss the details of her feelings another time. For now, she took the roses from his arm and embraced him in a tight hug. It was the first real affection she'd gotten from Damien since before their huge fight and Kat would be a liar if she said she didn't miss him deeply.

She released him from her iron grip and stared romantically into his warm honey brown eyes. "Thank you so much babe. You didn't have to do this.", she said as he fastened the bracelet around her wrist.

He softly kissed the back of her hand, holding it delicately as his thumb rubbed soothingcirclesover her knuckles. "Of course I did. I feel terrible about what happened yesterday and this morning. I need you to forgive me, babe.", he pleaded.

Kat gave him a sweet smile as she stared into his eyes. He did look truly sincere in his apology. Maybe she could let it go this one time. Before she could respond, however, Mrs. Lovett cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Despite how adorable this little display is, I have a class to teach Ms. Rockmore.", she said. Though her words sounded stern there was an understanding glint in her eye. What could she say? Mrs. Lovett had a soft spot for young love.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Lovett. I didn't mean to interrupt your class with my personal drama.", Kat replied. She was so caught up in her own little world that she'd forgotten that her relationship issues were playing out in front of her entire dance class.

"No worries, dear. I'll excuse you for the rest of the lesson this once.", said Mrs. Lovett.

Kat beamed at the older woman. She was a strict instructor but it was nice to see she had a warm heart as well. The teen quickly grabbed her boyfriend's hand, dragging him out of the studio before they could waste anymore valuable class time. As they reached the door, they were called back by Mrs. Lovett.

"Don't forget to keep your core tight in your pirouettes and use your inner thigh muscles to lift your leg, not your quads. Your penche would go much higher if you did , dear.", she said, always the professional.

"Yes ma'am!", Kat replied, before eagerly running from the studio, letting the door click closed behind them. She was so glad Mrs. Lovett gave her the rest of the day off. Her and Damien had some serious making up to do.


End file.
